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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gorgon Zee" data-source="post: 9449540" data-attributes="member: 75787">I feel a bit sorry for black lodge games. If this video is based on their experience then they really seem to have a very limited view of what either a GM or a director does.I’ve been both for 30 years, and so many of the statements he makes are not at all close to my experience. A selection:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A director is a job - nope, no more than being a GM is. I’ve never been paid for the 30+ shows I’ve directed. It’s a hobby and it’s fun</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A Director’s job is to create a story - so far from the truth that it’s clear these guys have only ever seen documentaries and never actually directed themselves. The author creates the bulk of the story; the actors create the nuances of the characters. The director is responsible for the presentation of the output and ensuring that the audience understands and enjoys it.</li> </ul>For a roleplaying game, there are typically a set of original authors of the system, the world and often the campaign. For roleplaying, much like improv acting, the players also have a strong authorial role. The game master may write some, much, or very little, but in any at least mildly normal game, there are many authors.I would argue that the director’s core responsibility of making the presentation of the story as best as it can be to the audience (typically the players) is EXACTLY what a good GM does. In the video we see that called out by one of the most controlling directors of all time — a desire not to write a perfect story, but to present the story perfectly.To me, this directorial aspect of the GM is the most important part of their role — ensuring that the players get as good a presentation of the story (that the group is writing) as possible. This means being on top of the rules, so explanations and details are mechanically correct. It means good extras (NPCs), descriptions and atmospheres. It means ensuring everyone can contribute; it means making sure pacing is right (see Hamlet’s Hit Points by Robin Laws) — so much of what a GM should do is exactly analagous to what a director does.Before making this video, it would have been good if the writers had actually seen or tried good directing. Unless they are being deliberately untruthful, it seems like they haven’t had that experience, and if you want so say “X is (or is not) like Y” you really need to have good knowledge of both X and Y</blockquote>

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